Walker S2 is an adult-sized humanoid robot with legs, a torso, and arms. China is sending these robots to patrol their border with Vietnam.

A humanoid robot conducts late-night testing in Beijing on April 11, 2026, as it prepares for the upcoming half marathon event held in the city. Photo: VCG. As the capital city sh

This year, artificial intelligence (AI) helped push the robotics world further, creating machines that can perform increasingly complex tasks. Machines even got their own sporting championship in 2025 with the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing.

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It’s been quite a year for humanoid robots, with all manner of increasingly advanced designs coming to our attention. The selections here focus more on physical movement than AI smarts, with the latter expected to come to the fore next year. So many ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I explore humans, technologies, and what’s next. Dec 01, 2025, 01:14pm EST As factories finalize 2026 budgets, a costly choice looms: invest in human-shaped machines (humanoid robots ...